PLANT INVASIVE SPECIES
The Alberta Weed Control Act
The Weed Control Act is legislation in Alberta that directs all landowners to prevent the growth, propagation and spread of regulated weed species. The Weed Control Act lists specific weed species as either Noxious or Prohibited Noxious.
View the Weed Control Act using this link
Weed Control Regulation
The Weed Control Regulation provides the list of prohibited noxious weeds and noxious weeds. It describes seed cleaning facility licensing procedures as well as the requirements of the appeal process for inspector’s notices, local authority’s notices, and debt recovery notices.
View the Weed Control Regulation using this link
Regulated Weeds
Noxious Weeds
Noxious weeds means a plant designated in accordance with the regulations as a noxious weed and includes the plant’s seeds. Examples of noxious weeds include; Common baby's breath (Gypsophila paniculata), Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), Downy brome (Bromus tectorum), Scentless chamomile (Tripleurospermum inodorum), and many more species.
Prohibited Noxious Weeds
Prohibited Noxious weeds means a plant designated in accordance with the regulations as a prohibited noxious weed and includes the plant’s seeds. Examples of prohibited noxious weeds include; Russian knapweed (Rhaponticum repens), Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), Rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea), and many more species.
Scentless chamomile (Tripleurospermum inodorum)
Russian Knapweed
(Rhaponticum repens)
Non-Native Species
These species are not native to Alberta, they have been introduced to the area either intentionally or accidentally. They displace native vegetation species and are not regulated under the Weed Control Act.
Milk River Invasive Weed Infestations
The County of Warner Ag Service Board has conducted extensive work preventing and removing invasive weed infestations along the Milk River.
Every year, access locations along the Milk River are used to drop off people and equipment to float down the river. Your assistance with controlling and maybe even eradicating these INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES will benefit everyone and stop the spread of invasive weeds into the grazing reserves. These weeds can spread rapidly, encroach on pastures and threaten wildlife habitat.
Thank you to everyone who helped to make this project happen!
Protect our Natural Areas… Preserve our Natural Heritage
Purchasing Hay From Outside the County
Use caution when purchasing hay from areas outside the County of Warner. If you purchase and transport hay to your property within the county you could be transporting new noxious, and prohibited noxious invasive plants. These weeds can quickly spread forming large infestations that outcompete native rangeland plants. Chemical control of these weed species could mean costly purchases of herbicides for years to come.
There have been reports of producers from other counties experiencing substantial economic losses from purchasing contaminated hay. Don't risk your land and your business bottom line, purchase hay free from invasive weeds from a reputable source that you have thoroughly inspected. The short-term benefit of using low-quality hay is not worth the long-term problems. consequences of cheap hay may be long-term infestation that costs you money. Purchasing certified weed-free hay is a management decision that could save your business money in the long-term.
Successfully managing weed populations within your hay field could result in greater yields, as the grass and alfalfa, does not have to compete with invasive species. The increased yields could offset the cost of herbicide applications.
How do you avoid the problem?
- Always inspect the hay source for weed content.
- Research the source of the hay to determine which weed and pest species are a problem in the area.
- Check references
- Reserve the right to refuse the hay after it arrives and you've checked it thoroughly
- Feed the hay to your livestock in a limited confined area, this allows you to control the problem. Remember that livestock can transport viable seeds in their gut which would be excreted throughout their range.
More information:
Invasive Plants in Alberta, Forages and Hay Land, Alberta Government
Hay, Best Management Practices for Invasive Plant Species, Sask Forage Council
Transportation, Best Management Practices for Invasive Plant Species, Sask Forage Council
The following resources can be used for the identification of invasive weed species and management of infestations:
Identification Guide For Alberta Invasive Plants - Wheatland County Agricultural Department
Alberta Invasive Plant Identification Guide - Wheatland County
Transportation, Best Management Practices for Invasive Plant Species, Sask Forage Council
Grazing, Best Management Practices For Invasive Plant Species, Sask Forage Council
Hay, Best Management Practices for Invasive Plant Species, Sask Forage Council
Forage Seed, Best Management Practices for Invasive Plant Species, Sask Forage Council
The Alberta Invasive Species Council has many resources and factsheets to assist you in the identification of weed species.
Visit the Alberta Invasive Species Council Website Using This Link
The following resources can be used for the identification of native plant species:
Common Coulee Plants of Southern Alberta - John Bain, 2014
AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES
Zebra and quagga mussels
Invasive plants can spread through small fragments attached to gear or a watercraft. Fish diseases, like whirling disease, can also be spread through mud and water. To prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species and diseases always clean, drain, and dry all watercraft and gear that touches the water between water bodies.
Invasive mussels, such as zebra or quagga mussels, can be spread from one waterbody to another on boats or gear that have not been properly cleaned, drained, and dried between uses. The adult invasive mussels attach onto hard surfaces and can be hard to spot on a watercraft. The microscopic forms of these mussels, called veligers, can survive in standing water in a watercraft for many days. If this standing water is moved into a new waterbody, that waterbody may become infested.
Aquatic invasive species
Photo credit: Alberta Environment and Parks
For more information on invasive mussels:
Invasive mussels - Ontario's Invading Species Awareness Program
Zebra and Quagga Mussel Facts - British Columbia Government
What are zebra mussels and why should we care about them? - USGS
Infographic - Zebra and Quagga Mussels, Alberta Environment and Parks
County of Warner monitoring
Invasive mussels pose a risk to the waterbodies within the county, a simple, cost-effective method to determine their presence is the use of artificial substrates. These substrates are constructed from a 2 foot section of ABS pipe filled with concrete, these are hung from the boat dock at Milk River Ridge Reservoir and Chin Reservoir. These would be checked twice per year, if the substrate is rough to the touch or has suspect accumulation. In 2020, the Ag Service Board checked on an existing substrate hung from the docks of Ridge Park which is shown below, the substrate was rough and had visible accumulations of algae and aquatic organisms.
A scraping was collected from the substrate and Chin Parks docks, the scraping was preserved in isoporpyl alcohol and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and submitted to Alberta Environment and Parks for analysis. The substrate was negative for the presence of invasive mussels. Seasonal staff further conduct visual boat inspections for the presence of invasive mussels at Chin Park.
Scraping of accumulations at the Chin Park Docks
Artificial substrate hanging from the Ridge Park Docks
Scraping the surface of the artificial substrate for lab submission
Samples to be submitted to Alberta Environment and Parks
Other aquatic invasive species
Many invasive species can enter ecosystems because humans transport them to the new location. Here are a few more invasive species you should not release into foreign aquatic ecosystems.
Whirling disease
Whirling disease is caused by Myxobolus cerebralis, a microscopic parasite that affects salmonid fish such as trout, salmon, and whitefish. The parasite has a complex lifecycle that requires a salmonid fish and an aquatic-worm, Tubifex tubifex, as hosts. Species such as rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, and whitefish are particularly susceptible to whirling disease, though disease impacts differ among salmonid fish species and in different water bodies. The severity of the whirling disease depends largely on the age and size of the salmonid host. Young fish are most vulnerable, with mortality rates reaching up to 90%.
Whirling disease clinical symptoms include; a blackened tail, sloped head, crooked tail and an abnormal whirl or tail-chasing behaviour.
Photo credit: Alberta Environment and Parks
For more information on Whirling Disease:
Whirling Disease - Fact Sheet, Government of Canada CFIA
Whirling disease, Alberta Environment and Parks
Pull the plug! It's the law
In Alberta, it is illegal to transport your watercraft with the drain plug still in place, as outlined under subsection 6.1 of the provincial Fisheries Ministerial Regulation. Watercraft users must demonstrate upon inspection that their watercraft has been drained of standing water. Those who fail to comply may be subject to a fine.
Clean - Clean and inspect watercraft, trailer, and gear
Remove all plants, animals, and mud at the access area or dock At home, soak your gear in a bleach solution for at least one minute. Rinse, scrub or pressure wash your boat, hot tap water preferably 50 degrees Celsius, away from storm drains, ditches and waterways.
Drain – on land, before leaving the waterbody, drain all water from; Bait buckets, Ballasts, Bilges, Coolers, Internal compartments/ Livewells, etc. Leave the drain plug out during transport as in Alberta, it is illegal to transport your watercraft with the drain plug still in place. Those who fail to comply may be subject to a court appearance and large fine.
Dry - Dry the watercraft and gear completely between trips and allow the wet areas of your boat to air dry. Leave compartments open and sponge out standing water.
For more information please visit the following websites:
Clean, Drain, Dry your gear, Alberta Environment and Parks
Photo credit: Alberta Environment and Parks